stand by

British  

verb

1. (intr, adverb) to be available and ready to act if needed or called upon

2. (intr, adverb) to be present as an onlooker or without taking any action

   he stood by at the accident

3. (intr, preposition) to be faithful to

   to stand by one's principles

4. (tr, adverb) English law (of the Crown) to challenge (a juror) without needing to show cause

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noun

1. 1. a person or thing that is ready for use or can be relied on in an emergency

   2. ( as modifier )

      stand-by provisions

2. in a state of readiness for action or use

adjective

1. (of an airline passenger, fare, or seat) not booked in advance but awaiting or subject to availability

stand by Idioms  

1. Be ready or available to act, as in I'm almost ready for you to carve the turkey, so please stand by . [Mid-1200s]

2. Wait for something to resume, as in We are all standing by until the power is restored . Also see on standby .

3. Be present but remain uninvolved, refrain from acting, as in I can't stand by and see these kids shoplifting . [Late 1300s]

4. Remain loyal, as in She's my friend and I'll stand by her, no matter what . [Early 1500s] Also see stick by .

5. Adhere to, abide by, as in I'm going to stand by what I said yesterday . [Late 1300s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stand by

But Weaver insisted that her husband was nothing but supportive of her decision, telling the outlet that he was ready to stand by her side whether she chose to continue with the D.C.C. or not.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026

Economist Jesús Fernández-Villaverde of the University of Pennsylvania describes the Constitution as a “commitment device” through which the government assures future generations it will stand by promises made today.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

We have had learning experiences with that, and so what we can do going forward is be more clear about the things that we do believe and stand by.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026

Outside the hearing, festival co-director Simon Clarke said: "We have been facing censorship, stood our ground, and stand by our robust safety measures."

From BBC ● May 19, 2026

But his case for insanity was damaged when his former wife, Annie, was called to the witness stand by the prosecution.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• back
• benefit
• bolster
• boost
• cooperate
• encourage
• further
• maintain
• promote
• push
• save
• serve
• stimulate
• support